Swords of a Soldier
by Zeida-and-Maria
Summary: “…Hey boy, how about we play one more game?” Allen stopped, turning back around in surprise. Then he smiled. “Ok.” AU after Ark, TykiAllen
1. Joker

**Edit: I looked through this, fixed up some shaky sentences and typos and things. Nothing too major but hopefully it's a little better now**

**S**words of a Soldier

By Zeida of Zeida and Maria

I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier  
I know that the clubs are weapons of war  
I know that diamonds mean money for this art  
But that's not the shape of my heart

Summary: "…Hey boy, how about we play one more game?" Allen stopped, turning back around in surprise. Then he smiled. "Ok."

Pairing/s: Poker pair (Tyki/Allen) possible Marie/Miranda, Lavi/Linalee

Warnings: possible (Not intentional) ooc, crappie battle scene-type-thing ahead, later romance between a man in his mid-twenties and a boy 11 years younger (who is still under aged).

Notes: Hello people! This is Zeida once more brining you a story I probably shouldn't be touching with Semblance still going like it is… But hey. This story was written very partly because my favorite DGM pairing EVER is the only pairing that is completely and totally guaranteed never to happen in my other story… So, here I am.

Also, be warned, the prologue is Kinda long… I didn't mean to! –hides-

Prologue: Joker

- x -

Another tremor wracked the tower, causing Allen to once again grab hold of the nearest object to him (In this case a pillar that didn't look like it could take much more) in order to keep himself standing.

The door stood before them, it's tall checkered face reflecting eerily in it's disturbing heart-shaped state. Despite their worries, it seemed not only completely intact, but it also seemed to be the only thing in the collapsing arc that was unaffected by the violent shaking.

They needed to get out of there.

Quick.

_"This one's mine. Don't interfere."_

A certain black haired swordsman flashed through his mind without warning, the look of annoyance that always managed to irk Allen present on his handsome features. He gulped, throat constricting slightly as he realized he would likely never see that look again. And he found, that this fact saddened him.

…If he had stayed behind to help…

"Allen-kun! We have to hurry!" Linalee shouted from ahead, her voice rising above the sound of collapsing building that was deafening them from all sides.

He started on his way over, glancing back down to the level below as he did. "Yeah, I…"

_"You brats should let an Adult handle this. Go."_

Allen stopped moving, his voice cutting off as he looked down, not really actually seeing anything below. Crowley hadn't gotten back to them either.

He couldn't leave yet he had to-

Another quake struck them, sending his Companions into disarray. Lavi grabbed hold of the door for support and Linalee fell into Chauji, causing the man to topple to the side, and leaving both of them in a groaning heap on the ground luckily with no lasting harm. Allen was not so lucky however, as the shaking sent him flying forward, as well causing his knees to give. He slipped, plummeting right back down into the floor below.

And he found himself staring directly at Tyki Mikk, still unconscious and still breathing- but not for long if he stayed here.

"Lero... Please, save us Lero! Earl-tama~ Save us, Leroooooooooo!" Allen stared at the frantic umbrella, which seemed unable to move as it's handle was lodged firmly between and unconscious Mikk and the marble floor (which was cracked, Allen noted warily).

As the Umbrella paused for breath, not seeming to even notice the white haired boy's presence, Allen caught the sound of shoes scraping rough marble floor above him as his exhausted companions moved towards the hole in the ceiling he had fallen through.

"Allen!"

"Allen–Kun! Are you ok?"

"Exorcist-san! Are you injured at all?"

Allen looked up through the hole, seeing his three comrades looking worriedly back down at him. Their concerned faces reflected in his eyes as he made his final decision.

…He couldn't just let a human being die here. Not another one.

"...I'll be up in a second!" He called, pushing himself shakily to his feet.

"I'll send my hammer down to-" Lavi started, but another quake cut him off and he found himself being pushed frantically to the side by a distraught Chauji, a pillar falling over the cranny with a thunderous crash, and chunk of the ceiling fell where the group had just been.

"Allen-kun!" Linalee all but screeched.

"I'll be right up! I can get there on my own, I-" He stopped, glancing at the unconscious Noah and the distraught umbrella he was lying on top of. "Go on ahead, alright-"

"NO!" Linalee screeched, her voice slightly muffled from the rubble that now separated the two floors. "Allen-kun, don't do this! We're all going back together!"

He glanced at Mikk again, eyebrows furrowed. He wasn't just going to leave him.

There was only one choice.

He heard Lavi and Chauji say something, but couldn't make out the words. The inaudible murmur of voices seemed to go on for a long moment while Allen stumbled to Mikk's side and started maneuvering the black haired man's arm around his shoulder.

He thought he herd Linalee cry something about coming down, and he tensed.

He wasn't about to loose any more friends.

"Please!" He called up. "I'll be right behind you, but this place- It's about to disappear!" He pulled, bringing the man upwards as he forced his tired body to stand. "You've GOT to get through the-"

He cut himself off, jumping frantically away from the ball of dark energy that had just been sent hurtling his way. He looked up, the dead weight of his current charge hanging off on him limply as Allen stared in horror at the large man getting ready to attack again.

"Konbonwa, Allen Walker-" Allen could feel his heart beating in his throat as the man spoke. "Give me back my lamb."

- x -

Linalee was being held back by both of her current companions, who were trying to convince her that Allen would come up- she _couldn't _go back down.

"Allen's right, Linalee!" Lavi told her, though he look about ready to go back down himself. "We have to get out of here!"

There was yet another tremor, but this one felt different somehow.

It was more like an explosion than an earthquake.

Linalee felt Chauji-san loosen his grip on her slightly as he looked below him. "…What was that?" He asked, both voice and face reflecting his obvious confusion.

Linalee took the opportunity to wrench herself from his and Lavi's grips and run clumsily towards the rubble that cover Allen's only was up- and her only way down.

"Allen-kun!" She yelled again, but he got no answer this time. "Allen-kun! Allen-kun! ALLEN!" she yelled, starting to grab bits of shattered marble, tossing them away desperately to get to her dear friend.

"Linalee! We've got to trust him!" Lavi shouted as a second strange explosion shook the floor. "You've gotta get-"

He gritted his teeth, unable to finish his sentence as Linalee pounded a small fist against the large cracked pillar that blocked her path.

It wasn't working, and she chocked back a sob as another earthquake -this one feeling quite real- shook what was left of the ark's city to pieces.

But still the two floors remained separate. "Allen-kun!" She called again, and as she heard nothing, she bit her lip and pushed herself hurriedly to her feet. If she couldn't do it by herself, she'd just-

Lavi and Chauji finally ran over, grabbing her once more before she could try to hurt herself. "You need to calm down, Exorcist-sama!" Chauji panted.

The large man was kind, and only had her best interest at heart, she could tell, but Allen-kun was going to be stuck down there, and she couldn't just-

She couldn't just-

"Ah!" The yell had come from below, followed by the loud screech of metal clashing against metal. Linalee and Lavi froze.

As the ground quieted, the sound of ragged breath and soft laughing could just barely be heard.

The sound of the Earl Laughing.

"ALLEN!" Lavi yelled, and for a split second, he looked about to try and go down there in along with her, but he abruptly stiffened, tightening his grip on Linalee as he took a shuttering breath in an attempt to calm himself down. "…Linalee, you need to get out of here." He gritted out and she whipped her head around to stare at him in shock and hurt.

"But Allen-kun-" She bit her lip again, the taste of blood tingling on her tongue and making her want to wretch. The look on Lavi's face said everything.

She would only hinder Allen if she went down there now.

"You two need to get out of here." He repeated, pain and determination shining in his usually bright green eyes.

She shook her head. No… he couldn't stay behind too, she couldn't loose him too… she couldn't-

"No…" She sobbed, tears flowing heavily down her cheeks as she continued to shake her head in desperation. "M-my world, it- I don't …" She couldn't finish her sentence, her throat closing up on her at the thought of living without any of her precious friends. She sobbed again, and Lavi reached his other arm around to embrace her.

He never got the chance.

The two exorcists and their currently silent companion were blown violently backwards, as the floor around their only exit exploded.

- x -

Allen wasn't faring well. His battle with Mikk had done an excellent job of wearing him out, as well as using up his adrenaline rush. And with the man currently on his shoulder, with the Earl sending a barrage of dangerous attacks his way courteous of the fat man's sword, Allen was not even able to draw his own and defend himself.

If he did, He would surely drop Mikk, as the man was barely balanced on his back _now_ as he continually dodged and jumped away with both his shoulders intact, he dreaded to think what would happen if he was missing an arm and using the other to _carry _the sword.

But at this rate, with only the Crowned Clown's black arm as a defense, (as it was also hard to go on the offensive while carrying a man almost twice his age) he wasn't going to survive this.

He felt his whole body vibrate as the Earl's sword clashed once more with his knife-like hand, the evil grinning face only inches away from his own. The Earl laughed.

"What's wrong, Allen Walker? Getting tired already?" The mad man taunted, and Allen jumped away, using his right arm to pull Mikk closer as the unconscious Noah started to slip.

"Of course not, Millennium Earl." He gasped out, not sounding convincing in the least. "I am simply… simply..." He trailed off, his vision was beginning to fade he realized to his horror, and sound was beginning to melt together around him as the Earl rushed towards him once more, sword glinting above his head for what seemed to be a final blow.

He couldn't let it end like this…

Just then, as the Earl was just before him, something shot between them; it's familiar golden wings flapping swiftly to carry him upwards, leading both of their eyes to the right.

Allen had the sudden urge to retch, something usually associated with the cologne his master preferred to wear.

No…

Timcampy stopped moving, flapping his wings more slowly as it seemed to watch the two with a thoughtful air. They continued to stare.

Bad idea.

Moments later, Allen seemed to find the one last burst of energy he needed to dive out of the way of the barrage bullets rocketing towards his opponent, carrying Tyki to a pile of rubble far enough away that the next shot his master took wouldn't puncture them both.

The explosion that had followed his jump must have been the Earl's counter attack he decided, and before he could do much more than once again shift Mikk into a more suitable position on his back, the ceiling collapsed in on him.

- x -

The Next thing Linalee was aware of was landing painfully on the floor below, the upper floor now rubble beneath her aching behind. Their footing had collapsed from beneath her, she realized as she grabbed at the large chunks of marble that were scattered around her in an attempt to pull herself into a sitting position.

The sound of a fierce battle was coming from somewhere to her left, but as she attempted to push herself up enough to check on Allen, she found her arms would not support her, and buckled at the elbows.

Face once more ground into the fragmented marble, Linalee let out a growl of frustration. She couldn't fight, she couldn't stand, and now her arms were even refusing to support her. "URGH" She screeched, banging a fist against the white stone in despaired aggravation.

She wanted to help… she wanted to fight along side of her friends… she wanted to…to…

"Are you ok, Linalee?" The Chinese girl blinked in surprise at the gloved hand that had found it's way in front of her face. She strained her sore neck, looking past it to stare at the teen who held it before her.

"Lavi." She gasped in relief, grasping his offered hand with both of her own. With the red head's help, she pulled herself to her feet, wobbling slightly at the uneven footing messing with her already unstable legs. "Have you seen Chauji, is Allen-kun-" She turned her head abruptly, searching for her white haired comrade in the wreckage that had been left behind from the battle.

Lavi looked too, and his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the Earl and General _Cross_ of all people. "Wow…" He muttered, shock evident in his features as he watched the two go at it. "…He's pretty strong, huh…?"

Linalee was just as surprised to see the red haired General, but she found the lack of this General's scarred apprentice just a little more interesting. Just a little.

She looked back over to Lavi, who was still holding her hands, the one not occupied with that was griping his Hammer tightly. "Lavi, if General Cross is fighting, where's Allen?" She asked, worry hanging over her like a storm cloud, water ready to come down at any moment.

Lavi stiffened, and tore his eyes away from the spectacle to look the black haired exorcist in the eyes, his single green eye flitting between her two purple orbs, trying to see if there was something there. What he was looking for, Linalee couldn't fathom.

"Linalee." He said, and the air of seriousness in his voice made her nervous. "This… the door was destroyed in the blast." Her face blanked as he gritted his teeth and allowed her to absorb this.

Despite just how terrible at concept this was, Linalee couldn't focus on it- Lavi had avoided her question- where was Allen? Why wasn't he trying to aid his master, or check on them, or trying to find the door, or… or…

Tears welled up in her eyes and she sniffed. No… no. Allen Wasn't dead. She believed in him. Allen-kun wouldn't go down so easily. The only question was… where was he? Why couldn't she see him, he must have been just under them when-

"Lavi." She forced out, trying to keep her voice from sounding too strained as she tried to articulate her thoughts.

"Linalee, we'll find a way out of here, and Allen'll be coming too, so don't worry, I-" The finger that was swiftly brought to his lips silenced him as he stared down at he distraught girl.

"We need to help Allen-kun." She stated, and Lavi looked bewildered. "I think- I'm _sure_ Allen-kun is under us." Lavi paled, looking down at the tall pile of heavy stone and rubble. "…Somewhere…" She couldn't help but add. A lot more of the ceiling had collapsed than she had originally thought, and she didn't know exactly where-

"How COULD you, Exorcist-san?" the two exorcists turned as one in the direction of Chauji's voice, seeing the top of what looked like it might have been the sailor's black hair just in sight behind a pile of collapsed building. Linalee jerked foreword in that direction, tripping as her leg attempted to crumble beneath her weight.

She didn't fall far however, as Lavi swept her off her feet and into his arms without a second thought, causing the shorthaired girl to blush furiously after she squeaked.

"L-Lavi, what are you…" She trailed off as he started making his way towards what seemed to be an escalating one-sided argument.

"An enemy- If you'd do something like protecting an enemy, how could you be an Ally of mine- of the Order's?" Lavi sped up, jumping the last of the marble mountain and landing semi-gracefully next to Chauji. "YOU are an enemy as well!"

The black haired man's head snapped around, his face screwed into an expression of fury. "He was trying to save the Noah!" The hysterical man declared pointing in front of him. "_That's _why he didn't come up fast enough."

Lavi and Linalee turned in the direction of the bent over figure clad in white, long white belts of the innocence extended to form a make-shift barrier to protect none other than Tyki Mikk himself, still blissfully unconscious and hardly even injured besides the line of crosses spanning his chest.

Allen, on the other hand didn't look too good.

- x -

Even though he was positive the chunks of white marble had already fallen off, he still felt like the ceiling was resting painfully on his back, and he didn't dare move, lest some stray rubble fall into the weak spot in his shield- therefore endangering his current charge.

Blood dripped down from his forehead, splattering onto the uneven ground without warning, and he was suddenly aware with a jolt that he was not, in fact alone.

…Had someone been yelling a moment ago? His frazzled brain strained to comprehend what had been said but it was no use. He was finding it harder and harder to keep his eyes open, and it seemed his awareness was leaving him as well.

"Is… Who's… Who's there?" He managed to gasp out, the taste of blood filling his mouth as he coughed unexpectedly. 'Note to self: Don't let buildings fall on you anymore. ' He told himself firmly; trying his best to keep his blackening vision clear as he looked up. 'Some day, the damage may not be reversible…'

He could feel unconsciousness fast approaching, and his Innocence seemed to revert back to it's arm shape as he did so, perhaps in hopes of conserving his energy. He needed to get Mikk out of there… He needed to get to the door… He needed to find his friends…

The hum of a recognizable but indistinguishable voice reached his ears, but he found he simply could not process who it was, or even what they were saying.

He blinked, his eyes coming back into focus just long enough to figure out who exactly was in front of him.

"…Lina…lee..?"

- x -

As the two stared at their white haired friend who, admittedly, Lavi wasn't sure was still conscious- Chauji didn't seem to be calming down, the battle going on in the background was starting to escalated, and worst of all- the Earl seemed to be trying to push the fight closer to their area.

The sound of a wet splat! brought Lavi's attention not only to the ample amount of blood on the ground around Allen, (None of which seemed to belong to Tyki Mikk, Lavi noted) but also the fact that Allen seemed to have quite the head injury.

Lavi carefully placed Linalee back on the ground and was about to step forward to ask his friend if he needed something, when Linalee took a firm, determined step forward completely on her own.

'…She's grown…' Lavi couldn't help himself smiling, turning back to Allen to see he seemed to have gone ridged where he stood, his shoulders hunched under the white coat stained red from blood that seemed to be still seeping out of their friend from multiple places.

His breathing was ragged, and he twitched slightly, the white cloth that surrounded he and Tyki Mikk like a barrier fluttering in the non-existent wind. He seemed to be trying to speak but instead coughed loudly, a little blood dripping down from the corner of his Mouth.

"Is…" Allen stared, his voice hoarse and weaker than Lavi would have liked. He glanced at the two others beside him, Linalee looked so worried, and Chauji stood frozen, a look of fury still firmly in it's place. "Who's.." Allen tried again, and Lavi got a sinking feeling as Allen managed to finish this sentence. "Who's there?" He gritted his teeth, glancing over at a distraught Linalee. She was just about ready to start crying again, he'd say.

The white haired boy slowly allowed his head to move upwards, and unfocused eyes stared ahead of him, from what Lavi could tell, completely unseeing.

"Allen," He groaned, trying to keep the mood as light as possible, even with the massive fight going on close by. Details Details, right? "If you keep doing stupid stunts like this, you're going to make Linalee cry!"

Even then, he wasn't sure Allen could hear him.

The Younger boy blinked, his gaze leveling out on Linalee, who was once more biting her already abused lip. For a moment, something flashed in the boy's eyes, a light of some sort.

The white belts seemed to waver, and the shield dissipated, moving back into Allen's arm as the mask and cowl disappeared as well. Allen was left standing still slightly hunched over the unconscious ex-Noah with blood dripping down more quickly now that the armor-like innocence had retracted.

Linalee closed her eyes from her tears, a gasp of anguish escaping her lips as Allen's wounds came into full view. It seemed he'd taken the full brunt of the ceiling after all.

"…Lina..lee?" All three spectators looked down at Allen's face once more, to find him staring at the female exorcist so hard Lavi had to abstain from saying an all too inappropriate 'don't strain your brain' comment as Allen smiled, slowly, and on very wobbly legs, straightened. "I… I'm Sorry I took so long.."

Linalee darted forward, jumping over Tyki Mikk as she wrapped her arms around the boy that she (Lavi hoped) had come to think of as a little brother, sending both of them painfully to the ground in a warm embrace.

Lavi couldn't help but to smile fondly even as Allen let out a quiet hiss of pain that, at the very least told Lavi he was no longer slipping into unconsciousness. In fact, after taking a moment to recover from the sudden impact on his wounded back, Allen wrapped his arms around Linalee as well. "Linalee…" He repeated, a breath of relief escaping his lips as he allowed himself to be lain on top of for the time being.

Lavi glanced down at Mikk, feeling that he presence here, under Allen's protection was going to cause hell for him back at the order. Allen was not going to be well taken having saved the life of not only a Noah, but _The_ Noah that had massacred more than half the exorcists within the order and over 100 finders.

"…Allen…" He started, but a sudden explosion from behind the group caused them all to go flying. They landed in a heap, with Allen groaning in pain at the bottom. "…ow…" He ground out himself. He was unable to move, as Chauji was quite firmly on top of him, and he had the worst feeling that something _bad_ was about to happen.

The group slowly got to their feet, Chauji apologizing profusely to both Lavi and Linalee, but not looking at Allen as Lavi helped the remaining two to their feet.

"Allen-kun, are you alright?" The Chinese girl asked worriedly, and Allen gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry about me Linalee. I'll be fine." He assured her, and glanced around seeming to have recovered from his many injuries already. Lavi was not, however, fooled. There was still blood dripping down from some sort of head wound, and the boy's breathing seemed pained.

The only thing that had changed was he could focus again. "Allen, You should rest for a while, you need-" Lavi was cut off by Chauji who had regained his outrage at Lavi's words.

"You _saved_ a Noah, Exorcist-san! How could you? I thought you had killed him, yet you… you…" Allen stared in wide-eyed surprise at the man. "I can never forgive such an act! You are putting to waist the lives that were sacrificed to bring us to here! You have betrayed us!" His voice broke, and a vein throbbed in his temple as he glared.

Throughout the pronouncement, Allen watched the black haired man, a small, sad smile fixed on his lips. He said nothing to dispute the man's words, nothing to defend himself as he waited patiently for the verbal abuse to end.

"Chauji-san," Allen started as they lapsed into silence, "I'm sorry you feel that way." Linalee and Lavi stayed silent, Linalee watching Allen's face worriedly as blood continued to flow from his head wound, and Lavi glancing back to the place where Tyki Mikk still lay unconscious, blocked by rubble from blowing away with the rest of them.

Allen was really an idiot sometimes…

"Lavi?" The redhead looked up, blinking at Allen in surprise as the wounded boy looked up at him with slightly bleary blue-gray eyes. "Why are you smiling?" The boy asked, and Lavi noted that Linalee seemed to be trying to calm Chauji down a little away from him, and despite the smile still ever-present on Allen's face, he seemed nervous.

"..." Was all Lavi could respond with. He didn't even realize he'd been smiling...

"…Do you know where Mikk ended up?" Allen asked after a moment of silence and a glance at the other two. "I'm… I'm not going to leave him." he told the redhead firmly.

Lavi pointed in the direction he had been staring a moment before, but put a hand warningly on Allen's shoulder as he tried to rush over there.

Another explosion shook the area, however the battle seemed to have been successfully move far enough away now that the reverberations didn't reach them. "Allen." He said quietly, Grip tightening on the boy's bare shoulder. "I know you want to save this guy- I understand that…" He started and Allen opened his mouth to rebuttal, eyebrows furrowed. Lavi shook his head and Allen let him continue. "But the order won't. You're gonna be in big trouble when they find out what you're doing. They're gonna think like Chauji is." Allen's expression had calmed, and the firm set of his jaw was all Lavi needed to know Allen's response. He let the boy go.

"I know Lavi." Allen responded in a comforting tone, and he felt like laughing as it put his mind at ease despite himself. "But I still have to save him." Allen stepped away from his red haired friend, turning to make his way over to Tyki Mikk.

Then, that something bad happened.

Another earthquake struck, this one taking down bits of the foundation of the Ark, splitting the ground and knocking everyone but the two battling powers in the background once more to the ground.

The sound of a loud CRACK! And still more of the ground crumbling into nothingness reached Lavi's ears, and he looked up to see a panicked Allen running in the direction of the collapsing floor.

And Tyki Mikk.

"Shit." Lavi groaned, forcing himself to his feet as quickly as his sore and burned body could manage. "ALLEN!" He yelled, chasing after the boy as he all but dived off the edge. Reaching a hand out, he managed to grab hold of the idiot's foot before he fell out of reach.

"NO!" Allen yelled, reaching down even as he dangled over the edge of nothingness by his ankle. But Mikk was nowhere in sight. He was already gone.

"Allen…" Lavi started, but stopped when he herd the sound of a strangled sob as Allen tried to convince himself that it wasn't his fault that a human had just died. "…I'm going to pull you up, Allen…"

At this point in time, Allen seemed to realize just how stupid jumping off the edge to the newly formed cliff actually was, and with shadowed eyes and clenched teeth he nodded once, signaling that he wouldn't struggle while the red head saved his life.

Linalee and Chauji ran over to them as they both lay gasping on the ground at the edge, Lavi turning his head to see just how pissed Linalee was. Allen was covering his eyes with his blackened left arm, letting out sharp gasps every once in a while to try and force himself not to cry for the enemy he had tried so hard to save.

"…Allen-kun…" Linalee whispered, not sounding angry at all as she fell to he knees next to her friend. "…You're too kind, Allen-kun…" She told him, reaching a hand out to rest gently on his head.

Lavi pushed himself up into a sitting position turning to face Allen as well. Allen sniffed, shoulders shaking as he tried harder still to stop the flow a tears as they ran streaming down his face.

"Allen…" Lavi started again, but didn't know what he could say. He sighed, wondering what would help this already hopeless situation.

… He wasn't sure if it was a good idea to give him false hope…

But…

"Allen." He sounded so firm this time when he said it, Allen moved his arm away to blink at Lavi in startlement and Linalee looked up at him as well. "…Do you believe Yuu and Crow-chan are dead?" he asked seriously, and Allen sat up, shaking his head wildly.

"NO! No, I don't." He responded, wide eyes finally slowing in their release of salty tears.

"Then… maybe that guy's not dead yet either. As long as we're still here, there… there could be a chance."

…Well, that was false hope if he'd ever heard it.

Then again, he didn't want to believe Crow-chan and Yuu were dead either.

A laugh escaped from Allen's lips, and he nodded, a smile forming on his pale lips. "Yeah… yeah, that's true." He paused another laugh escaping. "…Sorry…" The white haired boy wiped the blood and tears from his face with his normally colored arm and sighed. "…Reacting like that because of any enemy, I…"

Lavi gave him a thoughtful look, knowing something of a similar nature had happened once in the past, with an Akuma. Linalee had told him tears had been pouring down his face then, too.

"Don't worry so much, Allen." Lavi scolded, and he gave the injured boy an encouraging grin. Allen's mouth opened and closed a few times, before his face screwed up again, and he let in a sharp breath.

Linalee pulled the boy into another hug, weaving her fingers into the tangled hair at the back of his head, kneading him gently with her fingertips. "Shhhhhh… Shhhhh, It's ok, Allen-kun. You don't have to bear this alone. You have us, Allen-kun…" Allen rested his forehead against the older girl's shoulder and let out a shaky breath.

"Yeah…"

Chauji stood a little away, watching this show of affection between the three exorcists. His face darkened, but a moment later, he glanced back up at the three with guilt.

"..." He didn't think he could forgive this exorcist for trying to save a Noah, but…

Someone swept past him, the man's red hair fanning out behind him in a similar fashion to a Christmas tree. He wore a black coat with gold trim.

A gun was cocked, and the barrel pointed at the back of Allen's head, causing all those present to freeze and turn towards the General in confusion.

"Idiot Apprentice. What the HELL do you think you were doing?"

Allen stared up at his Master in horror, feeling the barrel of the tall man's Anti-Akuma Weapon pressed firmly against his temple, cocked and ready to fire at any moment.

"Sh-Shishou…" Allen ground out, Hoping the man that had made three long years of his life living hell would realize the stupidity of shooting him so close to two other exorcists. "…I was trying to save-"

"I know what you were trying to do, you filthy idiot!" The tall man snarled, and Allen Felt Judgment pull away from him, only to come down hard over the top of his head.

Pain shot through his body and he gasped at the unexpected amount of it the simple attack had caused. Still he couldn't bring himself to _not_ hear every word that his master spoke- the bastard had trained him well. "Who the Hell tries to Fight the Millennium Earl with a man twice your size hanging off your back? Idiot." The masked man scoffed.

Allen felt another knock across the head but this one seemed surprisingly less painful. …Had Shishou hit in a different place on purpose?

...Nah...

"…I couldn't just leave him, Shishou…" Allen tried to explain, but a boot's toe found it's way to his stomach before he could finish, knocking the wind out of him and forcing him to double over in pain.

"You did the right thing." The man who had just _kicked_ him said. "One less Noah in that Fat ass's hands in always a good thing." Cross muttered, scratching his head thoughtfully. He looked down at Allen once more to add "Idiot."

Allen jumped away, dodging the next kick, which seemed rather half-hearted anyway. His companions, who had stayed rather silent during this exchange, had expressions of mingled shock, confusion and concern. Lavi looked up at Cross, who paid him no mind as he stepped in the center of their little group and set his fists on his hips. Despite apparently just coming out of a fight with the Earl himself, the man looked positively pristine, not a spec of dust or rip in his General's coat.

"Enough about that, though. You kids all know about my mission, correct?" He asked, his voice changing from pissy to no-nonsense. Slowly, all but Chauji nodded, but the Chinese man seemed to remain completely ignored. "Good. Tim, Take us there."

"Wait, Shishou, what are you-" Allen didn't get a chance to say anymore, because a glowing white light engulfed the whole of the group, and the question was answered for him.

A large glowing egg that seemed to pulse with a life of it's own hovered before him, and he blinked at it, trying to figure out what was going on. He pushed himself carefully to his feet, noting the missing tip the egg seemed to have.

"…Are we still in the ark?" He heard Linalee ask from behind him, and he turned, Seeing his three companions looking around in confusion at the dark room, with the bodies of strange creatures Allen had never seen before strewn across the floor in a hap-hazard manner.

"I think we must be, "Lavi answered, and all four of them looked up at Cross who seemed to be getting impatient.

"This is the last room they will download in the ark." The bespectacled man stated (boredly). "The Akuma factory."

The group turned back towards the pulsating egg, which had disappeared even further in the short time Allen had looked away.

"A-Akuma factory?" Chauji asked, eyes wide, as he stared up at the glow. "This is- Why haven't you destroyed it?" He asked, turning towards Cross, who looked affronted for being addressed by the man in such a forceful manner. "Didn't you defeat the Millennium Earl a moment ago?" The sailor demanded. "Can't you destroy an Akuma factory?"

"I didn't _defeat_ anybody." The General scoffed, obviously not taking the frantic man seriously. "After my _Idiot_ apprentice dropped the Noah off a cliff-" Allen flinched "The fat ass retreated. He no longer had any reason to stay. But that's not what I want to talk about right now. You see the egg- good. I need to destroy it, but there's a barrier, so I need more time- something I don't currently have, SO, Idiot," Allen looked at him, accepting this form of address as a call for his attention. "I need you to control the ark."

A quiet followed this statement, and Allen blinked at his Master in bewilderment. "…Control…?"

A deadpan look responded to him, and Cross brought two fingers up in a circular motion, some sort of runes following them as the swept through the air. "I'll hold this back, you go with Tim to the Heart." The runes flew up, surrounding the disintegrating egg, causing the progress to suddenly slow.

"Wait- how am _I_ supposed to control the-"

"GO." Cross snapped, and Before Allen could respond, he found himself falling backwards into yet another bright light, the sounds of his friends yelled the last thing he heard before silence.

…

Allen blinked, staring at the hand he was reaching out in front of him. A white ceiling hung above him, and the room was completely silent- peaceful even, despite the fact that Allen was positive he was still within the Ark- but this room didn't seem to be affected by the happenings of the rest of the Ark.

He stood up, feeling the ache of his wounds as he looked around the white room. It was sparse, a wall of mirrors put together like a reflective mosaic took up one side of the room, and the rest simply contained the white couch he had just removed himself from, and a small white piano that Tim had perched himself atop.

…Where was this?

'_My room…_'

A voice answered him, and Allen Turned to stare into the mirrors in shock. A shadow stood there, position similar to his own. As he stared at it, the dark grinning figure stared back with glowing eyes that pierced into him.

_'Not even the Earl knows of this place, so it won't be downloaded…'_

Allen frowned in confusion. "Who-" He stopped, remembering the dream he had had before waking up at the Asian branch. It seemed so long ago… That shadow was the same one he'd seen that time, in the water.

'_This is the secret room…of the fourteenth…'_

The sound of static in his ear made him jump. "Idiot Apprentice-" More static "-Can you hear me?" Allen nodded slowly, feeling stupid not a moment afterwards as he quickly replied with an "Er- Yes, Shishou…"

"Good." More static. The older man's voice was becoming less distinct. "What's taking you so long? Operate the Ark!"

Allen felt exasperation fill him. "HOW?" He demanded, and he thought he herd Lavi ask something like 'Why's he the only one that can do it, anyway?' but he, along with his master ignored the interloper on the conversation.

Static was starting to completely fill his ears, he noted as he herd his Master all but yell "Is there a piano in there?"

Allen glanced over at it, Tim's poofy tail swaying back and forth just above the keys. "Well, yes, but-"

"Play the Piano- Tim has the musical score." Cross order over the roar of the static between their two communicators.

"Um… Shishou?" Allen asked, staring back at the creepy grinning figure in the mirror with an expression of complete doubt on his face. "…I've never touched a piano in my life…"

"JUST DO IT!" The General yelled into his earpiece, and Allen almost fell over at the volume. "The piano- the ark, and- put your own desires into-" At that moment, the static that had been punctuating Cross's instructions abruptly cut off and he was once more in silence.

"…" Allen looked at the Piano, wondering what to do. Could he actually _play_ the piano?

_'…My… key.'_

Allen whipped his head back towards the creepy reflection, staring at the black shadowy finger pointing towards the reflection of the piano. The finger shifted, pointing instead at the reflection of Tim.

'_My… Timcampy.'_

Allen stiffened. "Tim belongs to my Master. He's not.. Not _yours_." He wasn't even sure why he thought the idea of Tim belonging to someone else was such a bad thing. It just _was_. Tim did NOT belong to this man.

'_My..'_

Allen frowned as the finger pointed next directly at him.

'_Allen…' _

Allen tensed further, not willing to speak as the reflection spoke once more.

_'Together, they have the power of the 'Musician''_

"The power of…?" Confusion, followed by still more confusion. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he found himself thinking '…my?'.

'_Allen must play..'_

"Why… why does it have to be me…?" Uncertainly, he Glanced over at the piano, where Tim seemed to have come to a position of attention.

'_Because the score…'_

Tim's mouth opened wide, and a circular pattern appeared above him, the characters forming it making Allen freeze.

'…_Belongs to Allen.'_

Allen stared at the score, mind going blank as a voice started singing softly in his mind.

He stepped towards the Piano.

'_And then the boy… drifted to sleep breathing… heavy the flames within the ash welling up one by one…_'

- x -

The light was bright, and the first thought that came to mind was the guys must have put him on the roof because he hadn't woken up on time-

…

Hadn't he been fighting in the ark or something?

Tyki opened his eyes, staring at the blue sky that you could only find in Noah's Ark. "..."

His body ached, and for a long moment, all he could think was 'Shouldn't this building already be _gone_?' but slowly, he remembered the battle with Allen Walker- the sword, the-

He sat up, gasping as pain ripped through his midsection. "Damn that packs a punch…" He muttered, clutching at the line of crosses as he forced himself to his feet.

He needed a smoke, and DAMN he wasn't getting one…

The streets of the White washed town were deserted, and Tyki wondered off-handedly what had happened since he was out. Perhaps this was the NEW ark, and the Earl had been pissed at him for messing with his plans, and had just dumped him in the street as punishment?

He glanced around once more, realizing he'd given his key to the Exorcists when he'd started the game. He was debating for a moment how he was going to get anywhere without his key, when he realized he could probably just walk _through _the doors to get to the Earl's room and beg for forgiveness.

…Or maybe he'd head for the dining room. He didn't really feel like begging for forgiveness.

Scratch that too, actually. He'd just raid the kitchen.

The pain had lessened to a dull throb as he started down the street to find the door that led to the kitchen. As he approached the correct whitewashed building (which, to an outsider probably looked just like every other building on the flower lined street) he noted Skin's room was still open, the rainbow happy-happy designs a clear contrast the it's bleached surroundings.

"…" He stared at the door for a long moment. He glanced at the door to the kitchen. He looked at the already present door handles on Skin's door. It was a hell of a lot less trouble, that was for sure.

Tyki waltzed up to the unlocked door, and pushed it open. This was the Way Allen and crew had traveled, he remembered, looking around he snowy landscape.

There was no sign of either Skin (who Tyki was sure was dead, but… there should have maybe been remains? There should have been something left to prove his brother existed…) or the Exorcist who had died Killing him.

Then again, if this was the new ark, the _room_ would be transferred, not the people anyway.

"…" The silence surrounding him was starting to become oppressing, he decided. A sigh escaped his lips as he stopped in the middle of the snowy tundra looking down at himself. He was lucky no one had run into him yet. His clothes were ruined, and the crosses left behind from Allen's attack were still glowing faintly, his suit jacket in shreds, his gloves nowhere to be found.

There was dried blood on his shirt as well. Had he bled at some point during the fight? Or was this Allen's blood? When had _he_ bled on Tyki?

The sound of hinges creaking caught his attention, and the Noah of Pleasure looked up.

A door was hanging open on the tall brick building standing alone across the way. The exit to the next room.

"…I feel like I'm walking into a trap…" Tyki grumbled, running his long fingers through his loose wavy black hair. He made his way slowly through the snow to whatever waited on the other side.

As he stepped into the long black corridor he recognized as the way to the library, he felt the hairs at the back of his head stand on end.

"The Trap vibe isn't going away!" He announced to the empty hallway, and a faint echo answering him but nothing more. "Tch.." He suppressed a bout of amused laughter as he followed the path those kids had walked down however long ago.

Reaching out a hand, he pushed open the door to the library, the walls of books disturbed in random places by… craters. Of course, the most interesting thing was between him and the open doors in the center of the room, a medieval Torture device with spikes lining the interior, opening to allow an unhealthy amount of blood to seep out.

Why was the contraption Jasdebi created still intact, but the body of the exorcist they had killed missing?

Maybe this wasn't the new ark after all?

How the hell that the old ark survived?

"…Ha ha ha… this is one hell of a trap…" Tyki snickered, hunching slightly, pressing his free hand against his chest as well. Then he blinked. It didn't hurt at all anymore. "What the hell?" He muttered, pulling his arms away to look at his stomach.

The glowing crosses had disappeared completely. The places where they used be, only abused cloth remained.

What, were his _clothes_ evil or something too? Then again, they had been given to him by the _Earl_, so…

He sighed, continuing to look down at his ruined clothes. Before they'd looked as if they were fixed to him, but now they just hung loosely off of him, making him look for all the world like… a hobo or something.

He needed a change of clothes.

After yet another quick survey of the room, he confirmed that there was no way he was getting new clothes any time soon.

"… Well, I can at _least_ get rid of the coat." He decided with a childish nod, ignoring the fact that he was alone in a room with a spiked coffin leaking blood as his only company, and there was really no need to speak.

He closed his eyes, making the suit jacket untouchable so the ripped cloth would slip off of him. After a moment, he peaked his eye open.

The damn jacket was still there, in all of it's ratty-ness.

"What the Hell?" He stepped up, attempting to force the air under his foot to carry his weight. Moments later, he stumbled, his foot falling to the ground as he attempted to place his weight on it. He looked down at his hands, pale as they were in his white form. "…What the hell?" he repeated, attempting this time to simply trasform into his more powerful Noah form.

Nothing happened.

Panicking, he ripped off his Jacket manually, following by unbuttoning his stained dress shirt to stare at his bare chest and arms.

Jagged cross-like scars formed a circle around his torso and upper arms, a larger longer scar marking the place where Allen had stabbed through him.

They looked old, like they had been there for years but never faded. "What did he do to me?" Tyki whispered, frozen.

It didn't hurt anymore.

_"It wasn't a trick." Allen whispered, getting back into a battle stance. "What I attacked, was the Noah that resides within you."_

If it didn't hurt anymore, didn't that mean…

Didn't that mean…

The thing that was injured was no longer there to feel the pain.

The Noah genes within him were destroyed.

He wasn't a Noah anymore.

He wasn't a _Noah_ anymore.

But then…

Dropping his shirt to the ground, he rocketed off past the spiky contraption the twins, slamming into the edge of the door before pushing himself through it, the things running through his mind running so quickly the thoughts had passed before he could register what he had even been thinking-

He was racing up the stairs towards the tower before he finally slowed, gasping and panting to catch his breath.

What was he running from? Or to?

Who could he find up there except maybe the exorcists who would probably kill him on sight, or a family that wasn't _his_ anymore? A hand reached up and shakily covered his face as he tried not to let the anguish he felt at that thought fill his features.

All over this one thing… a game he wanted to play with a boy who's cheated him out of his clothes… He'd just wanted to play a game.

But he'd lost his _family_.

"Why didn't you just kill me, kid…?" He asked, falling to his knees on the stairs.

What the Hell was he supposed to do now?

- x -

"YUU-CHAAAAAAAAAAAN!" Lavi screeched, launching himself at the black haired swordsman as he came into view. To the redhead's surprise, Kanda wasn't able to dodge on time, due to the ghostly pale middle-aged man hanging off of his shoulder.

As such, both of them were knocked to the ground, and all three of the parties present regretted it a moment later. "Oww… Man, Yuu-chan, I think it's more painful to actually jump you than to fall down when you dodge…"

"Shut up, Baka-Usagi." Kanda ordered, pushing himself up (and in the process, pushing both Crowley and Lavi off of him) to look around the area he had landed himself in. White pillars held up the ceiling, but there were no actual walls, just open air and a view of the white washed city that they had started in.

Coming from a door (Which had just appeared out of nowhere) Moyashi stumbled over, an expression of extreme relief filling his features as the white haired boy caught sight of his two missing companions.

"Kanda!" The amount of delight present in that voice shouldn't have been possible, considering exactly what he had said, Kanda decided. "Crowley!"

He ran over to them, and Kanda noted the unsteady way in which he made each step. He stopped in front of the group, as Kanda was getting to his feet and Lavi was sitting up. Crowley stayed on the ground, quite obviously passed out.

"Don't stand over me, Moyashi." Kanda grumbled, and Allen's face immediately sank into one the swordsman was much more comfortable with: annoyance.

"A-LLEN." Allen stated, sounding out the word to make sure Kanda could hear each syllable as it was said. "My name is ALLEN, Ba-Kanda!"

Kanda bristled. "_What_ did you just call me, Moyashi?" He demanded, hand resting on the hilt of Mugen for an instant before he moved it away. Mugen was in no condition to skewer this idiot.

"Eh heh heh… Allen, Yuu-chan… This is a happy moment, you guys shouldn't…" Lavi trailed off, instead smiling uneasily in an attempt to stave off the twin death glares he was receiving from the two people he very well might consider his best friends.

"Kanda! Crowley!" The delighted voice of Linalee entered the picture, as both annoyed males turned to look at the girl. "You did it, Allen-kun!" She cried in delight. "You brought everyone back!"

Allen smiled back at her, their relief shared whole-heartedly. "Yeah."

"It was you then, boy?"

Kanda Lavi and Linalee stiffened, turning towards the doorway Kanda had entered through a few minutes before.

Linalee blushed as they were confronted by a view of Tyki Mikk, shirtless with his arms crossed over his chest, leaning against the frame.

"Tyki Mikk!" Allen whispered, and to Kanda's shock, the same relief that he had shown after seeing his comrades once again shone in his eyes as he stepped towards the half naked Noah. "You're alive too!"

The Noah, who was currently masquerading as a commonplace human, seemed if anything just as disturbed by the odd behavior of the short exorcist as Kanda was.

"…Was that your doing, or did it come with the package?" The black haired man asked after a moment, watching suspiciously at the boy as he stopped right in front of him.

He got a quirky smile in response. "It could've been either." He admitted, before he flinched, catching sight of the vivid scars visible on the man's currently pale arms. "…Dose it still hurt?" He asked, and the Noah snorted loudly.

"Not physically." Mikk said, a sort of hysterical laugh in his voice. Then, before any of them could really react in their exhausted state, Allen had found himself slammed against the doorframe, Tyki Mikk's face inches from his. "You've taken my family from me, you know that don't you boy?"

Allen stared into those dark eyes, eyes that in all honesty he'd never really seen before, as they were always covered or golden from the Noah genes, but he saw no hatred in those eyes- no anger.

Just... sadness.

Mikk broke eye contact first, closing his eyes and looking down as he began to snicker uncontrollably, letting the fifteen year old go.

"Ha ha ha ha… It looks like I'm at you're mercy, Boy."

Allen looked up, blinking in surprise at Lavi, who stood behind the tall man, hammer poised at the ready, the tip of it's sharp cross touching the Noah's- ex Noah's?- bare back.

Allen opened his mouth to scold the redhead, but he never got the chance.

"Idiot Apprentice! Why haven't we gotten off of this Damn Ark yet?" Cross yelled, walking through the door Allen had created from the player's room. Then, he spotted the extra. "Huh. Looks like you did something right after all, brat. We're taking him too."

Tyki was not the only one to stare in complete bafflement at the red haired man.

"Well, what are you waiting for Allen? Make a gate off the stupid Ark!"

- x -

Please, feel free to review! I love reviews. Reviews are nice.

Nice, long reviews are nicer -hint- -hint-

You could even yell at me for not working on ch. 8 of SoV if you wanted to! Or just bash my brains out for just how BAD this was... -dies-


	2. Ace of Spades

**S**words of a soldier

By Zeida of Zeida and Maria

_I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier_  
_I know that the clubs are weapons of war_  
_I know that diamonds mean money for this art_  
_But that's not the shape of my heart_

Summary: "…Hey boy, how about we play one more game?" Allen stopped, turning back around in surprise. Then he smiled. "Ok."

Pairing/s: Poker pair (Tyki/Allen) Lavi/Linalee and possible Marie/Miranda

Warnings: possible (Not intentional) ooc, later romance between a man in his mid-twenties and a boy 11 years younger (who is still under aged). …Also, Yaoi in future. And a definite possibility of Het. ...And a game that I've spent weeks (cough more like months at this point cough) agonizing over, 'cause KNOW it's stupid, ok? Pretend for my sake that I am not lame

**N**otes: The most unfair gap I think I've ever had between a prologue and first chapter- it probably won't get much better, I'm very rusty at writing at the moment especially for D Gray-Man but I'm gonna try, just this one for now because I don't want to push my low motivation too hard with both this AND Semblance. Sorry for those who've been waiting for the next chapter of that- I'll try to explain myself somewhat at the bottom.

**C**_h__**apter W**__a__**rning**__s_: Awkward dialogue, too much not-quite canon, **mild gore**, and my sad attempts at writing something 'cool'.

Round one: **A**ce of **S**pades

**He **deals the cards as a meditation  
And those he plays never suspect  
He doesn't play for the money he wins  
He doesn't play for the respect  
He deals the cards to find the answer  
The sacred geometry of chance  
The hidden law of probable outcome  
The numbers lead a dance

I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier  
I know that the clubs are weapons of war  
I know that diamonds mean money for this art  
But that's not the shape of my heart

He may play the jack of diamonds  
He may lay the queen of spades  
He may conceal a king in his hand  
While the memory of it fades

I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier  
I know that the clubs are weapons of war  
I know that diamonds mean money for this art  
But that's not the shape of my heart  
That's not the shape, the shape of my heart...  
**  
**

- x -

**N**ow that he really thought about it, his life hadn't really been over then… just half of it.

Maybe if he hadn't been so rash, he wouldn't have lost the other half, too…

- x -

_The streets were dark and wet, misty after the rain of the previous night. It was early morning. A dog howled somewhere in the distance, making him glance up. It was probably the only living creature for miles around. The chill that hung in the air made him shiver- or maybe it was something else. He could _feel_ it; sinking into his hands- could feel the cause of those red stains on his gloves against his fingertips._

_Unbidden, a grin began to form on his face, and he brought a hand up to cover the view of it from the blank eyed corpse that leaned lopsidedly against the grimy brick of the alleyway. The feelings running through his body as he stared down at his handiwork made his spine vibrate once more, shoulders rolling in an attempt to suppress the subtle motion._

_His tongue darted out, licking some of the coppery stain from the covered pad of his thumb. The fabric against his sensitive taste buds was rough and muculent from the foreign substance, but the flavor behind the metallic tint was one of death and fear; more than satisfying._

_An overpowering urge to strike again, to massacre somewhere –someone- bubbled up in him and the laugh that escaped was frightful. His other hand squeezed, baring down on the soft object held there. The feeling of still more blood pouring over his glove from the ripped openings of the muscle making him feel... alive, as he gulped down another breath of freezing morning air._

_The laugh died, ending in a soft sigh of contented giddiness lost to the abandoned area surrounding him._

_He crouched before the dead body, the vacant eyes still filled with a few unshed tears, ones the women had attempted to conceal as his intentions became apparent. His free hand reached out, caressing the pale cheek of his victim. A light trail of brown-red smeared after the path of his thumb as he ran it from the corner of her lip to the height of her cheekbone._

_A brave woman she had been, fighting, kicking, screaming... until the very end. She had tried to hide her fear, tried to force back those tears even as her life had been wrenched violently and cruelly from her grasp. The struggle had elated him, making the battle all the more enjoyable as he'd let all of her desperate attempts at pushing him away, at stopping him from finishing her faze through him and he reached in, and he-_

_He licked his darkened lips, tasting another hint of that copper that he loved so much. The fear he sometimes felt at the enjoyment he gleaned from the stealing of an innocent and untainted life not present today, the corners of his mouth twitched impossibly further upwards. His breath caught just before he released another inhuman giggle to be heard by no one in the chill of the early morning. _

_He wanted to do something more- to somehow continue hurting the defenseless women even after the lasts of her life had already faded with the night._

_His hand stilled, the journey of his thumb over the women cheek stopping midway as he stared at her perfect features, then he squeezed. The still soft skin gave way under his suddenly forceful grip, and he continued to bear down on her, pressing harder, digging his nails into the seems running along the inside of his gloves until he heard a snap, sharp and vivid in the silent ally._

_As he drew his had away, feeling still more blood pour from the innocent's body a rush of pleasure filled him. The disfigured head lulled to the side, bringing the rest of the corpse down as well as it fell to the ground with a wet thump, the puddle beneath her not large enough to cause an actual splash as he pushed himself to his feet._

_His knees were wet from his time upon the ground, and his back complained from leaning over for so long without moving. None of it mattered as he gave the woman another moment of attention._

_It was time to go._

_He dropped the organ in his other hand, sparing what could hardly be considered his first target of the night a last glance as he turned and walked away, completely uncaring that his gloves were once again ruined- they always were after something like that- that the blood that had been coughed on his face was already drying on his cheek, the red liquid smeared on his lips and seeped into his clothing._

_The crosses on his forehead seemed to gleam in the eerie light of the main street, a few sleek black curls escaping to lie lightly atop them. The unnatural skin beneath smeared further crimson as a gloved hand reached up and smoothed the curls back into place._

_No heads turned though as he walked, the mist covered streets chilly and deserted in the morning air._

_He could hear the sounds of his footsteps as he walked, the scraping of his soles against the cobblestone accompanied only by the sound of inhuman laughter._

As the dream-memory- faded, and the man opened his eyes, the first thing he had to wonder was 'Where am I?'.

"Tyki Mikk" He looked up at the man that stood in front of him- his only companion in the room. This seemed to be a tall strict looking man he did not recognize either, trying and failing to shift as he stared.

Then it came back.

Where he was, how he'd gotten there, what this man must represent.

"You may call me inspector Revoulire." The man said, and Tyki found himself wondering if it was an art to keep oneself within an air of constant negative feelings as this man seemed to be radiating. His toothbrush mustache managing not to even shift as the narrow eyed man spoke once more to the bound Ex-Noah in the otherwise empty room. "We have some questions for you."

- x -

Allen stared up at the score; he could hear the faint sound of someone singing, the soft voice sweeping over him, the song calling to him in a way Allen usually associated with the innocence or the Akuma. He had only felt a connection this strong once before- no, twice. Once when he had regained the use of his eye, when it had fist evolved, and again in that moonlit dream he'd had after he'd been defeated by Tyki.

If you could even call that pitiful failure a defeat.

More like a slaughter.

He swallowed another bite of his sandwich, feeling it drop like dead weight to the bottom of his stomach. He felt sick.

"…" He handed the remains of his meal to Tim, who cut off the projection to gobble down the long sub, and Allen drew his legs up to his chest on the piano bench, wrapping his arms around them as he stared at the mirrored wall across from him.

A grinning shadow stared back.

Instead of allowing the reflection to initiate a staring contest, Allen screwed his eyes shut and buried his head in his knees. He still ached from his many injuries gained over the last month, and he technically wasn't supposed to be out of bed, let alone inside the Ark as he was.

After all, after returning to HQ, Tyki Mikk had been carted off by a strange man in a red robe, and the Ark had been christened as 'dangerous, entrance prohibited' and he and his friends had been swept off as well, to soft beds, welcome and rest. He wasn't supposed to be here, but...

But he'd decided when he woke up this morning he was going to do two things, and he was going to do them. This was the first-

He needed to get back into the player's room, to make sure.

And now he was sure.

He knew for absolutely sure that he knew absolutely nothing, he was an idiot, and there was still someone out there, pulling his strings. His shadowy reflection grinned at him and stared, burning holes into his gray irises when he made the mistake of glancing back up at it. Or maybe that someone was right here with him.

Maybe he'd always been.

"…What does this mean, Tim?" He asked quietly, knowing full well the golden Golem couldn't answer him. "Why is it, this score…"

Allen quieted, not sure how to continue. 'It's made up of the letters I created with Mana' He shook his head to clear the thoughts that came to mind after that.

Thoughts he shouldn't be thinking about. That he had no right to be thinking about. His beloved step father did not deserve any suspicion, nor any of the doubts he was currently placing unfairly upon the dead man's memory.

No sound interrupted the quiet singing still echoing in his mind, the voice was so gentle- so kind... He couldn't understand how he was supposed to feel in a situation like this, what was he supposed to do? He buried his head back into his knees and shut his eyes forcefully once more. The pressure in his head would lesson if he couldn't see his reflection. If he didn't think about it... But it wasn't that easy when the singing in his mind only grew louder, the feeling of cold dread stronger... his thoughts overwhelmed by he terrifying possibility that maybe, just maybe Mana hadn't been-

"I've… I've been sure to walk down my own path, haven't I, Tim?" Allen asked yet another question, still knowing he would never get an answer. He let the silence fill the room, let it wash over him as his thoughts tried to take him to a place he really didn't want to be. He had decided to walk this path in order to keep going- to keep walking, like Mana had asked him to. Like Mana had wanted him to...

To walk his own path...

Just keep walking...

He sighed, slowly releasing the hold on his legs and letting them slip back to the ground. He needed to compose himself.

After all, he couldn't just stop walking here.

A deep breath and a quick glance at the shadowy reflection, and he was gone, making his way to his next stop.

- x -

Tyki Mikk hadn't spoken a single word since leaving the Ark.

When a member of the order walked into the large empty white room he was being held in, all he would do was glare. After inspector Revoulire had made a forceful first attempt to 'convince' the black haired man speak, many other less important individuals had been sent to give it a try. No one had managed any better, and honestly, no one had gotten him to eat more than a bite either.

The man was tied to his chair, in the center of the lonely room with the clothes they had given him- a cheep black wide-necked shirt and matching cheep black slacks.

He wondered if they had a reason to use black cloth. Could just be that the Order liked black, or were they trying to accentuate the lightness of his skin.

Because that was the only thing he was noticing.

He was probably just being paranoid, but it was captivating him.

Only twice had he ever found himself involved in this war with his natural skin color visible. The first time, had been very shortly after the awakening of his Noah side, when he was still figuring things out, before he'd decided to keep his two lives completely separate from one another.

The second time had been in order to approach Allen Walker on the Ark.

Allen Walker had become like a bridge between those two lives, just because of one chance encounter. Just because of a Poker game.

And suddenly that kid was…

That kid…

Tyki ground his teeth, letting a sharp breath escape out the gap where the top and bottom of his teeth didn't meet perfectly.

He didn't want to think about this right now.

He wasn't sure if he'd ever want to think about it. He hadn't wanted to for the full three days he had already been imprisoned here.

But he was bored out of his mind.

Despite the fact that his life had just fallen apart around him, first in the destruction of his Noah and all ties to his family, and then in the captivity by the Order preventing him from returning to his old life, he found that he couldn't be content sinking into depression.

It had been just as he thought.

'Not better, not worse. Just… boring…'

Of course, he wasn't sure why it wasn't worse. It should have been. Boring was worse, right? In truth he felt a little numb, like he was still in shock. That was probably why it wasn't worse yet. That was probably why the ache in his chest felt the same as the guilt he had felt in the past. Like they cancelled each other out and made the situation the same, beyond the boring. When he finally snapped out of his whacked out shock it'd defiantly be worse.

Two more men had come and gone in the last hour or so, attempting different methods to try and get him to speak without touching him. For some reason, none of these people at the order wanted to touch him. Tyki was almost positive that they were afraid he would bite if they got too close.

…They were probably right.

Then again, he could have slipped out of his binding with or without his abilities at any point, so his teeth were really the least of their worries if he actually decided to get violent.

He sighed tiredly, staring down at the band of light flesh that was in his view before black cloth cut it off. The contrast was almost blinding.

….Not that he had any inclination to get violent. It would have been pointless. His life was over, but that didn't mean it was gone. With no way whatsoever to defend himself against the army of people living in the building, he wouldn't survive an attempt to escape.

The sound of the guards outside the door murmuring (something they only did when someone was coming inside) broke him from his thoughts. He glance up, but quickly brought his eyes away from the door as it was pushed open.

Whoever came inside came inside alone, the Guards whispering a quick 'Be careful' as the door clicked shut.

Whoever it was didn't speak for a long moment.

"…I didn't mean for things to happen like this." Tyki whipped his head around in surprise, staring at Allen as he smiled apologetically, leaning nervously ageist the door.

He looked pale (though he always looked pale) and he had bandages plastered to him almost everywhere that skin was visible. Most of his right eye was covered by a long strip of gauze taped to his cheek and forehead, and there were several fading bruises where the skin wasn't covered.

He wasn't wearing any form of the exorcist's uniform that Tyki had become accustomed to, either.

He also wasn't wearing shoes.

"You being imprisoned like this, I mean." Allen explained after he received no answer. "I had meant to try and get you back to those people… that I met on the train."

Tyki watched him, but didn't respond.

Allen brought his Innocence arm upwards to rub the back of his neck in a nervous habit as he laughed awkwardly.

"I guess it was kind of stupid not to realize the Order would try and take advantage of the situation..." The boy glanced at him, and despite the smile plainly visible on his face, it didn't reach his eyes, they shone instead with guilt and maybe a little bit of sadness. Or a lot of it. Maybe.

Tyki was ever silent, contemplating what to do in this situation. Allen shifted uncomfortably, pushing himself off of the closed door he had been leaning on to step into the center of the room, just a foot or two away from Tyki.

"I herd you're not eating." Allen stated while sitting himself down on the ground.

Tyki did not respond. He was still listening, but a thought had just stuck him.

For a long moment Allen just stared at him. "…I realize, um… I realize you probably hate me." Allen admitted, looking back up at him with the same sad look he had had back then. _"I'm sad…"_

Tyki felt the strong urge to say something in retaliation to that accusation.

"_If this could just be another game of poker, and no one had to die,"_

"But I came here, because…" Allen sighed again, leaning back on his palms and staring at the ceiling. The boy's Golden Golem Fluttered off his head to rest instead in the boys lap. "I wanted to tell you I'm sorry."

"_Things would be much better…"_

"…"

The room lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, neither of them willing to speak for the moment.

What could he say?

This boy… He had tortured this boy, hadn't he? He had ripped off his arm and destroyed it, had killed a friend of his… had killed so many of his comrades… He had ripped a hole through the child's heart.

Yet… He was the one receiving the apology?

Another minute passed, and Allen grimaced, nudging his Golem off his lap as he stood. "Sorry for bothering you." The white haired teen turned from him, and walked back over to the door.

…

…

…

"…Hey boy…" The white haired boy's hand froze on the doorknob. "How about we play one more game?" Allen let his hand fall slowly back to his side as he turned to look at the Ex-Noah.

Then he smiled.

"Ok."

- x -

Allen had been informed by the guards of Tyki Mikk's current status.

Of how he had been refusing food. How he hadn't spoken a word.

Allen had felt immediately terrible. That look he had seen in his eyes back at the ark… that despair could easily become something suicidal.

When he entered the room, Allen found that it was just as the two men flanking the outside of the door had told him. Mikk had been completely silent as he closed the door and tried to talk to him.

He found himself feeling disappointed that the man wouldn't even talk to him.

The whole attempt started to seem pointless as the second strained silence lapsed between them.

He stood up to leave, apologizing for bothering him, though he had no intension of giving up so easily. He was going to keep coming back until Tyki Mikk would talk to him.

He would not give up.

But just before he started turning the doorknob, Mikk had spoken.

Allen froze, the man's words, despite everything else, intrigued his gambling side the most.

Slowly he turned back around; door knob abandoned as he stared back at the only other occupant in the room once more. Those dark eyes stared right back, the Ex-Noah's face schooled to show none of the emotion he may have been feeling as he waited.

Allen felt relief wash over him, and he thought maybe this could be good for both of them.

Despite himself, and image appeared in his mind of that musical score… of its implications.

'Mana…'

The face of his foster father seemed to be haunting him now, but he shook it off inwardly, letting the relief he felt at Tyki Mikk's proposal wash over him instead.

He wasn't completely lost, then.

He smiled, stepping back towards the restrained Mikk. "Ok." Allen agreed, a twinkle appearing in his eyes in anticipation despite his desire to keep this 'game' as harmless as possible.

…He couldn't start getting competitive…

Tyki Mikk's face split into a grin very similar to the one he had worn during their first meeting on the train.

"Great." And before Allen could ask what they would be playing with (There was nothing in the room, and Allen didn't have any cards…) Mikk shifted his shoulders and seemed to be doing something with his bound hands.

A moment later, he stretched his now completely unrestrained arms above his head. The man groaned, screwing his eyes shut as he stretched and flexed his likely soar appendages. "That feels a HELL of a lot better."

Allen stared. "…You could have removed your bonds at any time…?" Confusion stained his tone. Mikk smirked at him, seeming to have completely regained his composure since finally allowing himself to speak. "Why didn't you earlier, you could have…" He trailed off, wondering what he could have done.

"I wouldn't have had someone to tie me back up before." Mikk leaned forward, stretching his back next as he continued. "It's not like I'd be able to escape in my condition anyway." An audible 'pop' was heard, and Allen winced. "So, Boy-"

"Allen." Tyki Mikk blinked at him before smirking in amusement. Allen was getting frustrated with the growing number of people just refusing to say his name. He already had to stand both Kanda(The jerk) and his Master(The bastard), and he didn't want to deal with Tyki Mikk doing so as well.

"Allen, then." The way the man said his name- he wasn't sure why, but it made him smile... "Do you want to know the rules of my game?" His time to bask in the willing use of his name by one of the people who never called him by it was interrupted, and Allen blinked, only then realizing the 'game' Mikk was proposing wasn't something you'd find in a normal gambling hall.

"What sort of game is this?" Despite how stupid he knew it was to accept what could very well be a very obvious trap, the possibility of backing out of this 'game' didn't even cross Allen's mind.

The game was Called 'Spades', named because a few of the rules seemed similar to the card game called 'Hearts'.

The object of the game was to gain the least number of points possible.

The game was played in Rounds.

Before a round began, the player would agree upon bets. Bets could be anything, as they had no money; it was acceptable to ask some sort of favor from the other player as a prize for winning.

In a round, the players involved will go through a set of three separate 'trials' the nature of which will be decided by the players. Once the end of a 'Trial' has been reached, the players will judge their opponent, giving any number of points within the set parameters depending upon what they deem their opponent should receive.

Players assign points to their opponents from 1-10, at the end of each 'trial'. After the three games that take place in a round are completed, the scores are tallied, and the player with the lowest score is the winner. As it is illegal to give either zero points or over ten, the maximum number at the end of a round is 30, and the minimum is 3.

At the end of three 'trials' the winner receives their prize, and if both players agree, another round can be played.

However, in the event of a tie, both players will receive their requested prize.

Lavi groaned in his bed, curled up in something similar to the fetal position with a pillow shoved forcefully into his ears in an attempt to block out the noise. He enjoyed Crowley's company, he really did, but when the man was unconscious, his stomach could have woken the continent.

He was at the edge of his rope.

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" He yelled, climbing out of his bed with his palms pressed against his ears. "Someone feed him!" He shouted over the loud gurgling noises that came from the comatose man's stomach. That couldn't possibly be healthy! And He couldn't sleep! Or think! Or-

The head nurse, a scary looking woman that could have been his grandmother, turned to look at the redhead. "I can't feed him when he's not awake. Just ignore it."

Lavi almost screeched, but restrained himself as he slammed himself back down on his bed, hands still attempting fruitlessly to block out the distracting noise. He gritted his teeth, his only visible eye clenched tightly shut as if the saying 'Out of sight out of Mind' actually had any truth behind it.

After a few moments of trying to press himself into the mattress fruitlessly he sighed, calming down. Letting himself relax, he tried to shrug off the last five or so minutes with a thought-out statement.

"I guess he's really hungry because he's a parasitic type like you, huh Allen?" He let his hands release his slightly soar ears to hear the response, but none came. The silence that followed was eerie and disconcerting, but didn't last long.

As Crowley's stomach interrupted.

Lavi twitched and looked over towards the bed beside his, expecting to see the white hired boy sleeping, or ignoring him, or trying to block out Crowley's noise. "…Allen?" He squeaked, staring at the large circular lump that was dominating Allen's bed, it's mass large enough it was doubtful the laws of physics should have allowed it to stay as it was. It looked bigger than the bed, yet was still somehow surrounded by it.

He felt so confused for a moment, walking cautiously over to the still bed, carefully taking the sheet and yanking it as fast as he could from the strange form. He closed his eye for a moment, fearing the monster he would find there, but as he herd the bed creak, he peaked it open again.

The amount of trash that fell to the ground at the yank shocked him. A large carcass, meat seeming to have been stripped from the bone slid past him and fell to the floor with a wet crunch as bits of other food remains spilled after it in torrents.

"…His… left-overs…?"

Lavi couldn't fathom why the younger exorcist had decided to pile up the food in such a manner, on his own bed no less- but one thing was for sure: Allen wasn't in the infirmary.

Quickly covering the food that had managed to cling to the bed (Likely because it was sticky or something, Lavi decided not to think about it), he hurriedly walked away, not able to stand the craziness of the medical area as it currently was.

A hand rested on his shoulder before he could reach the door. "Where are you going?" He turned to see the head nurse giving him such an evil look, Lavi jumped away from her and slammed himself into the door in fear.

He tired to force himself to smile when the women raised an eyebrow and failed miserably, only managing a strange crooked smile that seemed more like a grimace than anything else. "To lunch." His voice seemed at odds with his actions he noted, as it came out in a causal tone of one who wasn't scared out of their wits and pressing themselves against a door.

The evil look softened slightly, and the nurse seemed to pull Linalee out of no where. "Take her with you." She ordered, and before either the startled Linalee or the traumatized Lavi could say anything, the woman was marching back down the rows of beds to check on a fatigued Miranda.

"…Right then…"

Opening the door for his female companion, Lavi wondered why he had been ordered to baby-sit Linalee. It wasn't as if he minded, but…

The two of them walked down the hallway, side by side and in quiet. After what seemed like an eternity of echoing footsteps and long winding corridors, Linalee broke the silence. "…Helveska took my Innocence for a while…" The Chinese girl informed him quietly.

Lavi blinked in surprise, turning towards her as he walked, worry written into his features. "Are you okay? Did something happen?" He asked, wondering if the events of the Ark had put her in a worse position than she had been in previously. Such things could make it even more difficult for her, and if they continued to react badly with each other (Linalee and her Innocence) than she might not be able to rejoin her comrades on the battlefield. He faced forward once more, eye sweeping to a half lidded position as he watched the minutely different stones pass them by.

Lavi wondered if that was truly a bad thing, before deciding those thoughts were a bit too human.

"Well… My synchronization rate is below 10 percent right now… So they thought it would be… best." Lavi looked back over at her, eyebrows furrowed, but she smiled in a reassuring manner. "But... I feel… great." She brushed a lock of hair away from her cheek, the strands not long enough to be caught behind her ear. "My feet haven't been this light in years." The black wisps of what had once been beautiful long hair fell back into her face as they continued moving.

"Ah." Was all Lavi said, not able to think of any real response. He glanced at her, the smile still bright and cheerful. The corridor they were walking down was dark, no windows, they were too far inward of the tower for windows, and the lanterns looked to be going out. A cool breeze sped passed them, Lavi noting how the small amounts of light in the hallway seemed to dance in her short hair as it fluttered from the gust.

"Why did you really want to leave the infirmary?" Linalee asked, holding her hands behind her back. At the twitch of confusion and flash of guilt that had obviously found itself on his face, she continued. "We're not heading for the Lunch room." It was all the explanation he needed to proove he had been caught.

Lavi coughed. "Allen's missing." He explained. "And his bed is filled with the sad, sad remains of his lunch." Linalee giggled, covering her mouth out of politeness. The light sound was enough to bring an unexpected smile to Lavi's face.

"That sounds like Allen-kun." She admitted, her smile faltering for a moment at a thought or memory that must have just crossed her mind. Swallowing, she looked over at Lavi. "Where do you think he is?" She asked, her voice sounding a little far away as she spoke. She was probably thinking of another thing that 'sounded like Allen' that hadn't happened too long ago. Lavi found it bothering too.

His smile dropped.

Lavi stuffed his hands in his pocket, glancing worriedly at her. That guy could get pretty selfish sometimes... A new smile blossomed on his face as an idea sprang to mind. Linalee came back to reality as well as he suggested teasingly "The lunch room?"

- x -

Allen looked thoughtful.

_Allen_ looked thoughtful. The boy had asked him to use his first name. He had explained the rules (they were simple, it wasn't like some of the complicated things he'd come across in his life-long search for a really fun game that would keep him occupied) and then he had stopped speaking. Just... thoughtful.

Tyki watched him curiously, still not completely sure what he was even doing. Not completely anyway.

After several long minutes of silence, thoughtful began to speak at last.

"It's rather unconventional." Allen Admitted, staring at Tyki with those gray orbs that seemed to reach out for all he looked upon. His eyes just screamed 'I want to help!' Normally, he'd want to hurt this child for something like that. See what must have been such pure blood flow freely, but he felt none of that now. No need to hurt, maim, kill- he just felt intrigued by those eyes that would spare such a soft look for his enemy.

It was because of this boy that he couldn't feel that anymore. It was because of him that he was once again just another human. That he was no longer a part of the Noah family. His family.

But he couldn't bring himself to blame this boy.

"It is." He acknowledged, still thinking. It was out of pure intentions, he knew, that Allen Walker had ripped him in two, locking his other self away for good. He had wanted to save him.

But had he really been saved?

Or just torn apart?

He shook the thoughts from him, concentrating on the matter at hand. He was doing this because he wanted distraction. He didn't want to think about his problems right now.

The game was something he and his gang had put together a while ago, just a little something to pass the time, when they couldn't decide what to do. Allen cocked his head to the side. He still looked _thoughtful_.

"Well, it's fine by me, I suppose." A good natured smile replaced his contemplation, and Allen laughed softly. "I admit, it's not what I was expecting." Tyki returned the smile, and Allen nodded, as if he'd decided it for sure this time. The smile widening a little as he sat back down on the ground.

"What's your wager then, Mr. Mikk?"

Tyki slid from the chair he had been sitting on for the past three days, and joined the pale boy on the ground. It bothered him a little that he was being spoken to so formally, but he ignored it for the time being. He had other, more important things to worry about. "If I win," Tyki started, smirking. "You have to bring me food from your cafeteria."

Allen stared at him, blinking a few times before shooting his a weird look and a quirk of the eyebrow. "…You want food?" Tyki nodded. "Why didn't you just eat when the guards try to feed you?" Tyki rolled his eyes.

"Same reason I won't talk to them, b- er, Allen." He made a face, draping an arm on the seat of the chair beside him, bringing his head to lean on his palm as he continued. "I. Don't. Trust. Them."

He wondered why it was so easy to talk to this person, who had been his enemy so recently, who he had fought with and tried to kill, who had almost- He stopped himself from making another face as he once again pushed his mind from it.

Allen hesitated a moment before speaking.

"…You trust me?" Was that kid blushing? No… he must have imagined it.

The question made Tyki grin again though. "You're a good kid." He informed him, and another quirk of the eyebrows responded to him. Apparently, he didn't appreciate the wording. "You could've killed me a lot more easily back then, left me to die or something. But you didn't. I doubt you'd do anything now, if you weren't willing to at that time, Allen." He didn't mean to, but he'd managed to slip a little bit of an accent into the child's name, rolling the 'll's as he said it.

"…Oh…"

"Am I wrong?" Pale eyes widened and the white haired teen shook his head in a quick negative. Tyki nodded briskly. He was wishing he hadn't mentioned the events of the ark already. Damn it, why couldn't he just relax and… and what? He didn't know. This was a distraction; it couldn't be permanent after all. He sighed, forcing his mind back to the fact that he was, in fact in a cell, trying to start playing a game with Allen. "So, what's your bet?" He asked, glancing at the door despite himself.

He didn't like the idea of someone listening in on this conversation, being in the Order as he was.

Allen seemed to give pause at that, looking down thoughtfully before a small grin appeared on the boy's pale face. "If I win, you have to eat." Allen stated, looking up at him. Tyki stared. After the conversation he'd just had with that kid, he… "The food they give you, I mean. You shouldn't starve yourself." The way Allen said that, it was as if doing so was like insulting all the people who ate out there by starving or something. He opened his mouth to protest the unfairness of the request, about to point of that a bet couldn't be agreed on unless both players agreed on it, but Allen spoke again before he had the chance. The fifteen year old sounded too calm, in a way that was scarier than any tone he had heard, besides the Earl of Millennium's. "I don't think you need to worry about them poisoning you, by the way." Allen's half lidded eyes looking casually at the ceiling as he spoke.

This kid was starting to act more like the card shark he had been when they first met.

He sighed, smiling despite himself. "Fine then." He held out his right hand. "Shake on it?" Allen smirked in return taking the hand in his own and shaking firmly.

- x -

After checking not only the lunch room, the science section, Allen's room and the training area, Lavi was running out of places to suggest to Linalee. He knew one place Allen might be (the chances of the British boy being there were growing exponentially by the minute) but that wasn't a place Lavi particularly wanted to bring up.

More specifically, who it would bring up, and What Allen had done for this particular enemy like the idiotic Martyr he was and forever would be.

Lavi heaved a sigh, letting the air blow out of his mouth to lift some of the hair hanging in his face.

The force wasn't great enough to keep it away (He hadn't thought it would be) and the red strands fell right back into place, only a few lf them even shifting, thanks to the bandana that held them.

"…Maybe he's bugging Kanda?" Lavi tried, and it was Linalee's turn to sigh, hers more forlorn than anything else. She shook her head, their hour and a half of searching for the missing young man obviously taking their toll on her. She seemed uncomfortably, and defeated, like she had known all along as well that if Allen had bothered to sneak out of the Matron's clutches, it would be to go do something kind and idiotic**.**

Like Visiting Tyki Mikk.

The Peace of mind she had gained from the temporary loss of her Innocence's burden seemed to be wearing thin.

"Kanda-kun's in the infirmary right now." Linalee informed him, and Lavi wondered if she had been distracted when the man had declared his great dislike of the place and stormed off like a child.

"Maybe he's…" She struggled for a few seconds for a place to suggest, and Lavi contemplated the a point of skirting around a truth both of them were obviously already aware of…Besides that peace of mind, if only for just a little while longer.

"…The forest?" Lavi was pulling at straws but that peace of mind seemed so important, for some reason. Linalee glanced over at him skeptically, but nodded none the less.

"Maybe." And they were off again.

For some reason, that peace of mind just seemed so precious…

He wondered if that meant he was still getting attached.

He wondered how long he planned on fooling himself wondering.

- x -

It didn't take them as long as Allen had expected for Tyki Mikk to think of the first 'Trial'. He supposed the man must have been thinking about this for a while, though he didn't see why he would have been so difficult if he'd been planning this all along.

"So… You're going to say three things, and I have to guess which one is false?" Allen Reiterated. Mikk nodded, looking exasperated that he'd had to explain such a simple concept at all.

"Yep. I'll tell you three things, and one will be false, you've got to figure out which one you think it is." Allen nodded. It seemed very easy. Except…

"How do I know You won't lie?" Allen asked, trying not to seem like he cared too much. He just really hated to lose, and if they were going to cheat… He didn't want to be on the wrong end of it.

"We're playing with the honor system. If I cheat, give me a high score or something, it'll only hurt me."

Allen nodded; it wasn't like it really mattered anyway. "Alright, go for it." He was curious as well. He admitted he knew nothing about the man he had risked his life to save- nothing but reasons he should have just left him to die. His heart constricted at the thought of allowing a life to slip through his fingertips if he had the chance to save it.

He wouldn't mind finding out some things about this man.

The Older of the two leaned back, staring up at the ceiling in thought. He seemed to be gathering himself more than thinking up his facts. He didn't look like he was concentrating.

"…Well, I'm 26, I've got a high school diploma, and-" He stopped, obviously noticing the look of disbelief Allen was currently sporting. "What?"

"…Aren't you a Coal Miner?" The look that responded to Allen's question implied he didn't see the problem.

"Yeah, so?"

Allen pointed at him, look of pure disbelief now completely unmistakable. "So- people with diplomas don't become coal miners!" He pronounced, and Tyki blinked at him."….." Allen coughed and gather back his composure, cheeks tinted slightly red. Finally Tyki laughed. "'That your final answer? I haven't even said the last one…."

Nodding firmly, Allen leaned foreword seriously. "Yes." His tone was decisive.

Tyki huffed. "Well it's your turn now then!" he declared with arms crossed. It almost looked like he was pouting. A thought struck him then that made him pause.

Was Tyki Mikk really contented to just stay in this cell and let the war go on outside? To just play this game and pretend it wasn't happening at all…?

It didn't seem right. For some reason the idea of Tyki just giving up on everything he loved because of something Allen did really bothered him. He felt this irrational (completely irrational- it would be trying to get the _enemy_ to fight against them again) urge to help Tyki find his resolve to fight even without his Noah genes.

That was not a good thing to be feeling. He gulped, well aware of how dangerous his thoughts were. He was already on thin ice for saving Tyki at all he was sure, although Cross seemed to be blowing it off as this being his intention all along. 'This' being Tyki's present condition, his present situation…

"B- Allen, you okay?" The Portuguese man frowned, letting his sulky disposition leave him as he leaned towards the younger boy curiously.

"Ah…." Allen started, thinking fast. He wasn't going to tell Tyki what he was thinking that would be stupid. "You uh- you didn't tell me if I was right first!" He finally accused, his bluff causing Tyki to laugh a little again. He found he very much liked the sound."Yeah yeah I'll tell you if you did after your turn." He smirked. "It's your punishment for not waitin' till I at least finished talking before you guessed." The cheerful, confident expressions, obviously meant to make him uneasy about his decision to answer without waiting for Tyki to finish, only managed to make Allen feel a little better.

Even if he couldn't help Tyki like that, he never could, he could at least make sure he ate.

- x -

Lavi had given up trying to avoid the situation. Allen had gone to see Tyki Mikk and there were no two ways about it. Linalee had agreed.

They were on their way there now.

Hours had gone by since they'd started looking, too many hours. Linalee was tired and bothered, and Lavi was just plain frustrated. Allen shouldn't have even been in there that long. But they'd peaked stealthily back into the infirmary and lunchrooms to check and Allen was still missing.

Linalee had her hands clasped tightly in front on her, and she was watching her feet move across the stone floor as they walked. She was biting her lip again, and Lavi felt the need to make that stop. She really needed to break that habit, she was hurting herself…

He opened his mouth to say something, but his mind was for once completely blank. Panda-jii wouldn't like that at all. He was getting too… Suddenly, he snorted, the train of thought he had been skirting in and out of since his battle with Rhode and even before filling him with an irrational irritation and impatience.

He was a bookman, but he was also an Exorcist. Exorcists could worry about their comrades. He was Lavi now and until the end of the war and he was going to let himself act like it, at least for now.

Linalee tore her large violet eyes away from her feet to stare at her traveling companion. "Lavi?" She asked uncertainly. "Are you okay?"

Lavi stared back at her, a smile forming on his face. "Yep! Just fine. How're you holding up?"

She didn't respond, instead looking foreword once again. And stopping her progress foreword abruptly. Lavi just barely managed to stop in time too, narrowly avoiding running right into Kanda who was for some unfathomable reason standing dead in the center of the hall watching them.

"Y-Yuu-chan-" He choked out, stepping back with a nervous grin. "Whatcha doin all the way out here?" Kanda was frowning at him, eyes narrowed.

"I could ask you the same thing." He growled, looking over at Linalee. "Both of you."

Linalee stared at him face unreadable. "Kanda-kun.." She said eventually, sounding a little confused. "Aren't you supposed to be resting?" Her eyebrows drew together slightly. "Weren't you badly injured in your battle with the Noah?"

"I'm fine." he responded shortly, thought it was more of a response than Lavi would have gotten. "Why aren't you?" His tone was harsh, but it was more than a little obvious that he was worrying for her just as much as Lavi had been.

Awww… Yuu-chan was worried…

As if sensing his thoughts, Lavi was sharply placed on the receiving end of an evil eye. He laughed nervously and edged a little closer to Linalee for safety. Linalee glanced at him, then back at Kanda, then down at her feet again.

"We're… looking for Allen-kun, actually…." She told Kanda and the swordsman seemed if anything less pleased by this development. Linalee either didn't notice, or was unaffected by the aura of irritation that exuded from their companion because she just continued without faltering. "We haven't found him anywhere, and I was worried, and we thought he might be….." She cut herself off, suddenly looking uncertain. Glancing at

Lavi for help Linalee bit her lip again.

Lavi stared back at her, for once not worrying about the repercussions that taking his eyes off an irked Kanda would defiantly have as he tried to find the right words to explain.

It didn't seem for some reason a good idea to tell Kanda about their theory. Kanda was the type to turn on Allen as Chaoji had- maybe. But telling him wouldn't help anything either way he was sure.

It would have been best to just not mention Allen in front of Kanda at all really. Those two never got along no matter what. He gulped, realizing he needed to say something at least.

He let his visible eye sweep over to the long haired man half lidded and calculating. Kanda's frown deepened, obviously seeing the glint present there. "Well Yuu-chan, to be honest, we're looking for Allen in the holding area. For prisoners." He said calmly, having deemed the truth the safest rout at this point.

Linalee seemed relieved he hadn't said a certain person's name.

"…Tch." Kanda's nose wrinkled slightly in his irritation. "Like I care anyway, baka-Usagi." He was staring at him very intensely, trying to see through whatever façade Lavi was putting on today. Kanda may have been the person at the order who knew him best..

He swept past the both of them without another word, the tense atmosphere dissipating as his footsteps faded into the distance when he turned the corner. Linalee looked confused and worried, staring up at Lavi questioningly.

"WHEEEEEEW-" Lavi said finally, leaning against a wall and placing his hand to his chest dramatically. "I wonder what's up with Yuu-chan he seemed even pissier that USUAL!" He grinned at Linalee. "Well anyways, we should get going right? It would suck pretty bad if Allen disappeared again just cause we took too long~"

"Ah- yeah!" Linalee nodded, snapping out of her confusion at Lavi's cheerful tone. She turned back to the empty corridor and started moving. "We should go then defiantly!" Lavi smiled affectionately as he followed her towards their destination.

Kanda waited quietly, just around the corner until they were well on their way again before he followed. He wouldn't admit something stupid like he was worried for any of those idiots, least of the Moyashi himself, or that he was curious. Because he wasn't. They didn't matter that much. He just wanted to beat the crap out of the stupid white haired brat for causing such a commotion all the time.

- x -

The darkened room had emptied long ago, only three men remaining. Of those three men, two were locked in a battle of silence, staring at each other intently, waiting for the other to crack.

Revoulire glared seriously into the calm confident eyes of Cross, who was smirking for all the world like this battle was already won.

Inspector Link stood silently observing the two- he had not been ordered to leave as of yet or he would have given his commanding officer and the bane of said commanding officer's existence some privacy while they silently let their problems work up instead of out. As it was, he stood there silently as well, drawing his own conclusions on the situation.

It seemed that, despite the lack of information the captured Noah had given them on anything, his presence there alone was a useful weapon against the Earl, one that their enemy likely was not aware of at present.

But the actions of the one who had brought the Noah here, Allen Walker were in question. It was already plainly an issue raised by Revoulire that Allen Walker had a suspicious connection with the Noah. He had control over the Noah's Ark, a weapon of the Earl, had the eye of an Akuma, and had saved a Noah.

Cross insisted all were done with the intent of making them useful to the order, that the reasons didn't matter if the motives were favorable.

But not even Link was convinced that the motives were as such. Maybe Cross's were, though he doubted even that. Allen Walker seemed for all intents and purposes to have saved the Noah simply for act of saving him. From the information they had on him, (Which was surprisingly little, likely thanks once again to Cross) he was a martyr and a fool who sacrificed his life and happiness willingly for anyone he called 'friend'.

And there, Link had deemed inlay the problem. Apparently this Noah had been deemed 'friend' as well.

"This is getting nowhere, Cross." Revoulire ground out, breaking the silence and therefore losing the first round of the game. "It doesn't matter what you do and don't tell us now though. We'll get it out of the boy one way or another."

Cross grinned at the tall man, looking more predatorily than friendly in Link's opinion. Then again, that was his aim in all certainty. "Good luck with that."

"That brat never knew what he was doing."

- x -

**A**nd if I told you that I loved you  
You'd maybe think there's something wrong  
I'm not a man of too many faces  
The mask I wear is one...

Those who speak know nothing  
And find out to their cost  
Like those who curse their luck in too many places  
And those who smile are lost

I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier  
I know that the clubs are weapons of war  
I know that diamonds mean money for this art  
But that's not the shape of my heart  
That's not the shape of my heart

Shape of My Heart**  
- S**ting

kki**M **iky**T** : eno dnuoR**  
**

- x -

Chapter one end

I... really hope this is okay-

It took far too long as I said to bring this to you, and As I said I will attempt to explain myself if only slightly.

First off, I would like to apologize again because honestly, the majority of this was written well into a year ago, and hasn't been touched for almost as long. Many things have been gping on in my life to prevent me form writing, from school to family emergencies to just plain old writers block. Then my computer stopped turning on perminantly and I lost a good portion of everything that I had on all my stories.

Which really really sucked and made me want to write even less. But beyond excuses, here are the facts-

I have been looking over my old stories, particularly This and Semblance and have decided to give this one another chance. It's not nearly as planned out as Semblance and so I have more room to run wild and settle back in. If I get encouraged enough by this, then I may start up Semblance again too.

If I decide that it's a lost cause, at the very least I have plans and some snippets of things I had started working on that was salvaged that I can post for anybody who wanted to know where they were going. But I won't do that yet, because I haven't decided for sure what I'm _going _to do.

For now, wish me luck on this story and I hope I don't disapoint too much.

On another note, I need to apologize for what will very likely (and may already have shown unfortunately) become commonplace ooc if there wasn't any before. I haven't touched D Gray-man in almost as long as I haven't touched my stories, and haven't really been reading the new chapters of the manga either. Therefore I probably don't know a hell of a lot of stuff that I really should when writing this, and it won't appear in this story because of that. Sorry. I'm warning you all ahead of time.

All that aside, I really do hope I'll be able to continue this and that people will still enjoy it, and just as I said last time (so very... very.. long ago...) I like reviews a lot~

They're rather pleasant motivators and a reat way to tell me that anybody's still willing to read this.

Well either way, ta ta (hopefully not just) for now


End file.
